DS x RWBY Specials
by The Ashen Lord
Summary: Specials consisting of both the RWBY cast and characters from the Souls series which will either be holiday themed, or just some random ideas from my brain. Feel free to check out my main fic "From Dust to Ashes" which can be found on my profile.
1. Christmas Special (2015)

**Merry (late) Christmas everyone! So here is the Christmas special that I had been working on during the holdiays, and I'm sure that just by the title you all will know which Christmas tale this special takes on.**

 **Not much else to say for now, so onto the SPECIAL!**

* * *

 _ **A Dustmas Carol**_

Cardin S. Winchester had always been known as many things throughout his life. A racist, bully, self-serving, distrustful, a non-caring human being with no heart. Most of those things were true, but not the last one. Of course he cared for many things, and he did infact have a heart, as twisted and small as it may be, but that never bothered him.

However, what he cared about most people would find terrible and self-serving.

Lien (the most important) and being alone, because he despised others. Especially when Dustmas came around this time each year.

He might have been all those things that people call him behind his back, but if there was one thing that he took pride in during Dustmas, it was being a scrooge.

He held a deep hatred for the holiday season every year for as long as he could remember.

"Spending time with family and giving gifts? Bah humbug." Cardin muttered to himself within his warm office while counting his latest profit. "Who needs family when you have lien?" Letting out a small, bitter laugh, Cardin took a moment to check up on his clerk Jaune C. Arc, who was trying to place an extra piece of coal into the fire oven.

"Arc!" He bellowed from within his office. The young man nearly dropped the precious piece of coal as he was startled at Cardin's shouting.

"What were you exactly planning on doing with that piece of coal?"

"I-I was just g-going to place it into the oven. To make i-it a little bit warmer… sir. It's terribly cold in this office and I thought I could warm myself up a bit." His teeth were chattering slightly and Cardin could faintly see his breath, frosted over by the cold air.

Ignoring his clerk Cardin warmly asked, "Were you now? Well why don't you take a few extra pieces and warm yourself up a bit lad?"

The look of surprise quickly turned into one of joy as the blonde man stuttered a bit saying, "R-really Mr. Winchester?"

Cardin gave him a fake smile, but that smile soon turned to an angered expression as Cardin shouted, "OF COURSE NOT! Do you realize how expensive coal prices have been rising this year alone?! Put that piece of coal back right now and get back to work Arc!"

The joy that was once held inside the man's eyes died and was replaced with disappointment as he placed the coal piece back into a bucket waiting on top of a stool. Returning back to his small, oak desk Jaune continued his work in the cold.

It was almost closing time, and Cardin was going to start to pack up for the night and head home. Just as he was putting away his papers, a few knocks were heard from the front door.

Arc looked up from his work and would have gotten the door if Cardin hadn't sent him a glare that told him to keep working. "Bah, who could be knocking at this hour?" Cardin muttered as he reached the door.

Opening the door he was greeted with the sight of two gentlemen. One a human man with blue hair, and the other with sandy blonde hair and a… monkey tail.

' _Great, a man and his pet animal.'_ Cardin thought in spite as he begrudgingly asked, "May I help you sir?" He was addressing the blue haired man whilst ignoring the Faunus entirely. Neither took appreciation to his lack of acknowledgement towards the male Faunus, but Cardin didn't give a crap.

The blue haired man coughed into his fist and said, "Hello sir. How are you this evening?"

"Tired, sore, cold, and cranky. Now did you have a point in coming to my business, or not?" They were trying to get him buttered up, and in Cardin's mind that told him only one thing.

Charity collectors.

A shiver went down his spine as he now figured out their mission, and that was to squeeze out as much lien from him to give to those who didn't try hard enough to make it in this world.

Pulling at the neck of his collar, the blue haired man said, "Well, we came here to see if you would care to donate to our charity fund for humans and Faunus who aren't as fortunate as others. We plan to provide them all dinner for Dustmas this year. So please man, show some kindness to those that need it."

Cardin couldn't hold it in anymore as he let out another cruel, bitter laugh. It took him a moment to calm down before he furrowed his eyebrows before saying, "Provide for the poor? What have the poor ever done for me except beg for food, or ask for lien so they could go and waste it all on booze to drink their misfortunes away?!"

Both men seemed taken aback by his statement, but neither said anything as Cardin scoffed and continued.

"Besides, why should I help feed both humans _and_ animals?" This time the blue haired man had taken a step back in shock. From the corner of his eye, Cardin saw the look of horror on Arc's face, but one side glance sent the man back to his work.

When he focused his attention back on the two in front of him, the animal had narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows a bit before finally speaking up.

"Listen asshole. There are orphans and desperate folks out there who really need this dinner if they're going to survive into next week." The animal was getting up in his face, but he had to look up as Cardin himself stood at least half a head taller.

"Well then, why didn't you say so? I'll make sure to throw away the carcass of my Dustmas turkey in the trash. That way they'll have an easy time eating out of the garbage like the animals that they are. Will that help?" That had brought a satisfactory smirk to his face as the monkey Faunus backed down.

"Come on Neptune. We're not getting anything out this inconsiderate pig. Let's go." The Faunus motioned for his companion to follow and the man did. Just before they left the blue haired man, Neptune, turned around and spat, "Merry Dustmas jerk."

"Bah humbug!" He shouted after them. "Good riddance." Slamming the door Cardin headed back into his office, but not after sending a warning glance to his clerk.

Not even two minutes had passed by before another knock had interrupted Cardin as he shouted, "Will no one leave me alone!" But just as he was about to get up from his desk again, the door had opened and in came his nephew, Sky.

Born from his dearly loved, but sadly deceased sister Penny, Sky is Cardin's last living family member.

"Hello uncle! Merry Dustmas, and to you to Jaune!" He shouted with jolliness that Cardin couldn't help but cringe at.

"Hello Sky." The scrooge greeted with barely any effort on his part. It didn't affect him nephew in the slightest however as he came running into Cardin's office, almost knocking down the bucket of coal.

"Careful you idiot! Now what brings you here on Dustmas eve?" Cardin asked with a hint of curiosity at his nephew's actions.

' _Shouldn't he be spending time with that animal he calls a wife?'_ Cardin thought as Sky slowly closed the door to his office with care after his uncle's outburst.

"Terribly sorry uncle, but I was so overjoyed to deliver my invitation to you!"

"Invitation? What are you on a about boy?"

"Uncle, I formally invite you to my Dustmas dinner party. Would you please come? You never spend time with your family and I think that this year you should spend as much time as possible before you lose your chance."

Cardin scoffed again as he replied. "A Dustmas dinner, with you and that _animal_ of yours? I would rather be alone this Dustmas, as I do every year, than do such a thing." The joy died a little in his nephew's eyes, and his smile lowered a bit at his uncle's rejection to the invitation, but the young lad didn't give up.

"Come on uncle, you just have to come to dinner with me! You would have a grand old time I assure you. There will be dancing, games, and food. What sane person wouldn't want to enjoy such entertainment and fun?"

Cardin huffed at his foolish nephew's question. "That sane person would be me, and you won't get me to change my answer. Now off with you Sky."

"But… we're family uncle-" It was at this point that Cardin had enough.

Giving the boy his full attention and regarding him with one of the most intense glares he could muster Cardin said, "Family?! You lost the right to call yourself my family when you went off and married that Faunus wench! How can you love something that is so underneath you?!" Cardin shouted as he got up from his chair and was marching towards Sky, who in turn was backing up until his back hit the front door.

"Uncle please, I-"

" **No**. You will not call me by that title from this moment in time till the day of my death. Do you hear me boy?" Cardin's face was only a few inches away from Sky's, so close that he could see both the disappointment and hurt in his eyes.

Neither affected Cardin as he opened the door and pushed Sky out into the cold snow. Looking back to his uncle one last time Sky muttered something.

"M-merry Dustmas… Mr. Winchester." A smirk crossed over Cardin's face as he said, "And a bah Humbug to you as well sir." With that the door was slammed into his nephew's face and Cardin trudged back into his office while completely ignoring Arc's look of pity for his worthless nephew.

Closing time had come and Cardin was getting ready to head home when Arc came up to his desk.

"Umm, sir may I ask you something?"

"Spit it out." Cardin was feeling too tired to deal with anything else and just wanted to go to bed, but he would hear the man out.

"Thank you sir. I was hoping that you wouldn't mind if I took tomorrow off. You know, for Dustmas?" This had caught the bitter man off guard, and he almost reared on his clerk before stopping himself.

Taking a moment to think on it, Cardin said, "…Fine Arc. I'll allow you to take tomorrow off, but just so you know I'll be cutting that day's salary off your next payment Arc."

Cardin was surprised to see the look of happiness on his clerk's face as the man ran up and hugged him. Quickly shoving him off Cardin waved him out.

"Thank you Mr. Winchester! Thank you so much sir." Arc was heading out the door by then before saying, "And a merry Dustmas to you as well!"

He couldn't even yell 'humbug' after his clerk as the door was shut.

' _Well, time to head home…'_

…

He had just arrived home. After hanging up his coat and dressing himself in his night shirt, Cardin sat himself down in his big (empty) living room.

A fire was slowly cracking as it burned away on top of the few logs he had set down. Wrapping himself around in a blanket and eating a stew so cold he could barely taste it, Cardin felt right at home.

It was almost midnight, and Cardin was getting ready for bed when he heard something.

*Click-clack* *Click-clack*

"Chains?" Cardin asked himself, but jumped within his chair as he heard a long moan coming from the door that led to the living room.

The chains and moaning were drawing closer, and all Cardin could do was wait to see who, or what was causing the racket.

When the sounding of chains and moans was heard right outside the door, Cardin drew his blanket halfway over his face as he eyed the door with fear filling his heart.

But the noise had stopped.

After a moment, then two, Cardin lowered the sheets and uttered a small, "Hello?"

It was at that very moment that a man, no a specter, popped up from the floorboards right in front of him!

"Aaaahhhhh! A spirit!" Cardin drew the covers completely over his head this time, hoping the ghost was just a bad illusion from his cold stew.

"Wiiiiinnnnchhessterrr. Wiiiiinnnnchhessterrr!" It roared as Cardin tried to hide underneath his blanket while whimpering slightly.

From underneath the cover of his blanket he asked fearfully, "W-why have you v-visited me s-spirit?!"

"Cardin Winchester!" It bellowed so loud he was afraid that his eardrums would burst.

"Who are you?!"

"Your old business partner. RUSSEL M. THRUSH!" It was then that Cardin had the courage to lower the blanket just enough so that only his eyes could see the spirit.

To his utter surprise (and horror) it was indeed his _deceased_ business partner Thrush. He wore a ruined version of the suit that he was buried in; the strange hair style that Thrush always wore was drooping slightly over his scalp, and where his one gold tooth normally was, was replaced with a decayed version.

"Wh-why are you here T-Thrush?" Cardin managed to get out as he continued to observe the spirit of his dead partner. The ghost levitated off of the ground somewhat, but was held in place by three chains that linked him to the same rusty metal box that he used to placed his lien in.

"I have come with a warning for you Winchester."

"A warning?" Cardin asked with genuine curiosity as the spirit nodded his head, which caused all the teeth to rattle around within his mouth.

"Do you want to know how I got these chains Winchester? From living a life of greed and selfishness. And now I am cursed to wander this earth for all eternity, unable to help my fellow man or Faunus, and must drag these chains which keep me here." Thrush explained.

It horrified Cardin thinking that a fate like that could await a person, but he didn't believe it. "It was the stew! That is why I am having these illusions. It must be."

The spirit shook his head, which in turn caused his hair to move with the action.

"You will be visited by three spirits this night. Each who will accompany you on your journey to realize your greed and selfishness. And hopefully overcome them."

"No! You are not real, and I am only dreaming! There will be no spirits to visit me and I will wake tomorrow to daylight." Cardin was starting to become slightly hysterical, but he held himself together as the spirit continued to talk.

"This is your one and only chance at redemption Winchester. Otherwise you shall meet the same fate as I, but only with even longer chains that you yourself forged throughout your life."

At this the spirit of Russel M. Thrush flew out of one of the windows that were within the living room, and Cardin rushed himself over to see where if the spirit had fallen down.

Instead, the ghost flew from the ground up and into the starry night sky. And the scene presented to Cardin almost gave him a heart attack.

A countless number of ghosts filled the night sky; each with their own chains that bound them to their greed. He noticed a spirit float downwards towards the street below where a Faunus mother and her babe sat in the cold snow.

The spirit tried to try to grab the child to help keep it warm, but its arms passed right through both shivering Faunus. Cardin looked up again and saw Thrush floating in front of the shattered moon. He looked directly back at Cardin before shouting, "Three spirits Winchester! Three spirits visit you tonight!"

Cardin slowly backed away from the window and ran to his bedroom.

…

Sleep did not come easily as he lay awake within his bed. Looking around the dark room, Cardin flinched at each shadow that moved; being cast by the moon's light coming through each window.

After almost an hour of failing to fall asleep, Cardin finally felt his eyelids grow heavy and begin to close. However, they were wide awake once again as a blinding yellow light filled his bedroom!

"Aaaahhh! Wh-who goes there?" He asked weakly as his eyes adjusted to the light and he slowly opened his eyes.

Who, or what, stood before him must have been one of the spirits that he was warned about earlier. It took on the shape of a man wearing an outfit that Cardin could only describe as a knight's armor.

Green tuffs of fur lay on both shoulders and the arms were covered in chainmail. White cloth covered the whole of the spirit's chest with an adorned yellow and red sun on the chest where a small face was painted on. The spirit wore a bucket-shaped helmet atop its head where a small red feather sprung from the top right of the helmet. Metal grieves covered the legs from the knee down, and more chainmail could be seen above the knee.

After getting over both the presence of the spirit and its appearance Cardin asked in a slightly shaky voice, "Are you the first spirit?"

The spirit looked at him as if it just took notice of him before replying, "Oh! Hello there. Forgive me, for I was gazing at the wondrous sun." The spirit's voice was male and sounded kind and gentle.

Cardin looked at the spirit with a confused expression as there was no sun to be seen except for the one painted on the spirit's chest. Before Cardin could question the spirit of what he meant, the golden spirit cut him off.

"My name is Solaire, the Spirit of Dustmas Past. You are Cardin Winchester. I, along with two other spirits, have been sent to try and get you to see past your greedy and selfish ways."

"And _how_ do you exactly plan on doing that spirit?" Cardin asked with a sneer as he was confident that he was currently fast asleep and just having a bad dream.

"Take hold of this white dust crystal and we will begin your journey." It was after the first spirit had said this that he had pulled out a small white dust crystal from within a pocket. It glowed just as bright as the spirit with the only difference being it glowed white instead of yellow.

"If only to get this dream over with sooner." Cardin said with a roll of his eyes as he grabbed the small crystal in the outstretched palm of the spirit.

As soon as his fingers grasped the small white crystal, it glowed even brighter and soon Cardin was blinded by the white light. A moment had passed and when he dared to open his eyes again he found that not only had the blinding light disappeared, but he was no longer in his bedroom.

He was outside in the snow, and immediately realized that he wore only his night shirt. Strangely he felt no chill as a gust of wind blew by, carrying some dusty snow with it, yet he felt it not.

Looking around Cardin saw Solaire appear besides him. "Come." Was all Solaire said as he started walking across the snow, but leaving no footprints behind. Cardin followed the spirit but it was not long before he voiced his concerns.

"Where have you taken me spirit? Why do neither of us leave footprints in the snow? And why does this place feel somewhat familiar?" As they continued walking they passed a small playground that Cardin couldn't help but feel like he'd seen before.

"I have brought you to a Dustmas of your past. We are but spirits walking in a memory of your own, so we have no power here except to only observe. And as I said, this is a Dustmas from your past that will help you." Cardin could only continue to walk in silence as they both came up to a small red schoolhouse.

"Hey… I remember this place." Cardin said more to himself more than the spirit, but Solaire nodded his head anyway as he said, "Yes, this was the schoolhouse that you spent most of your childhood in for many Dustmases; along with your sister Penny."

They had come to one of the windows that allowed them to see inside the building. Inside there were multiple long tables that were used by the children whenever it was time to eat. All the seats had been empty save for one occupied by a lone boy.

He had a short head of combed orange hair and Cardin soon recognized it as himself as a child.

"Why show this to me spirit?" Cardin asked as he couldn't take his eyes of his younger form. He went ignored by the spirit as the door leading into the cafeteria opened up and his sister Penny walked in.

Cardin gasped in both surprise and pain at seeing his beloved sister alive again. Memory or not.

She wore a small white and pink dress that came down to just below her knees. Her orange hair much shorter and curlier along with her green eyes as she greeted his younger self, "Hello brother!" Despite being outside Cardin could still hear her.

"Hello dear sister." His younger self greeted with much more cheer than Cardin had felt in decades.

"I… remember this day. It was on the eve of Dustmas and my sister had come to visit me and keep me company as all the other children went home with their new families." It was not a particularly happy memory for him, as Cardin recalled seeing all the other children being told about their new parents coming to pick them up.

His resent for Faunus began that day as he grew jealous of the few Faunus orphans that were chosen over him and were being picked up by their new families. Cardin would have been alone for that Dustmas had it not been for Penny.

She had always come through and was his only light in the world.

The spirit beside him spoke up saying, "Yes, your sister came to you and made sure that you didn't feel abandoned by the world. That Dustmas was special to you because of her, and you held a special place in each other's hearts did you not?"

Cardin nodded his head as he kept his eyes solely locked on Penny. But suddenly the scene began to fade away into darkness and Cardin cried out, "NO! Wait!" But the spirit ignored his cries as the memory and image of Penny was swallowed up in darkness.

The same white light appeared from within the dark, and Cardin was again caught off guard by the blinding light as he failed to cover his eyes.

When the light disappeared yet again he slowly opened them to a new scene. Both he and Solaire were inside a large building of sorts. Decorations were strewn about ranging from tinsel hanging from the balcony railings above to a large Dustmas tree positioned towards the back of the room. The tree was gorgeously decorated with colorful ornaments and fake snowflakes hanging off the branches. Atop the tree sat a beaming white star that seemed to just capture the mood right and made even Cardin feel a tiny bit cheerful on the inside.

Before he could ask the spirit where they were, the door leading outside burst open and in came both an older (but still younger than himself now) Cardin and another fellow that Cardin recognized.

It was Russel Thrush in his youth!

' _And just a year before he got that horrid hairstyle.'_ Cardin thought to himself with a slight chuckle as the two younger versions of he and his partner entered the building.

"Now I know where we are!" Cardin said with a joyous expression on his face as he said, "This was the Dustmas party that Mr. Port held all those years ago." And speak of the devil as the man himself walked into the same room as his two young apprentices and the two invisible spirits.

"Merry Dustmas boys!" The man bellowed with a joyful jolliness to his tone.

"Merry Dustmas sir!" Both replied with equal joy as they took their coats off and hung them up on the only coat rack in the room.

"Excited for my party tonight? I'm looking forward to the festivities, especially those of the female variant." The portly man said with a small blush lining his cheeks and giving the two a wink.

"Mr. Port! Using a party to get closer to beautiful women. For shame on you sir." Cardin's younger self said with mock disbelief while Russel just snickered. "Better be careful there boss. Remember what happened last year?" Russel reminded his old perv of a boss.

"Ahh yes I recall that evening. Ms. Goodwitch was not very pleased with me placing mistletoe over the two of us now was she?" Port said reminiscing the party that he had thrown the previous Dustmas.

"Was she really that mad?" Cardin asked as he pulled up a stool for himself to sit on.

Port then began to fall into a small fit of laughter as he shouted, "Mad?! My boy, she used her semblance to shove me up the damn chimney! That was attempted murder if I do say so myself." When any other person would have found such a claim absurd, both Cardin and Russel nodded their heads in agreement as they were the ones who had to retrieve their poor boss from the chimney.

The present day Cardin laughed to himself as he remembered the task. Who would have thought that anyone could slide through a chimney so easily with just four sticks of butter and a plunger?

"This was yet another Dustmas eve in which there was great joy in your life. This party held by Mr. Port was perhaps one of your happiest memories." The spirit said and Cardin couldn't help but nod his head in agreement.

"Port treated both Russel and I like the sons he never had. He was not only a great boss and mentor, but a father figure as well. A great man he was." Cardin said with pride.

Solaire nodded his head at Cardin before gently saying, "I am afraid that my time with you has come to an end Mr. Winchester."

Cardin turned towards the spirit quickly as he blurted, "But spirit! Please show me more of these great memories! I wish to relive them just a bit longer!" It was too late however as the memory before Cardin began to melt away and soon the endless dark returned.

" _The second spirit will be visiting you soon. Be prepared for his arrival Mr. Winchester."_

It was the last that Cardin heard from the Spirit of Dustmas Past as his vision grew heavy and he too succumbed to the dark.

…

Awaking slowly, Cardin had found himself back inside his bedroom. Just as he were before he placed his hand in the spirit's hand and on that crystal.

"Only a dream," Cardin said with a sigh of relief. "But a… pleasant one." Turning on his side and closing his eyes again to see if he could recapture the dream; Cardin soon found a man dressed in what appeared to be onion-shaped armor lying next to him on his bed.

Screaming and jumping out of bed, Cardin half-shouted (out of breath from his previous scream), "Who the hell are you!"

"Hhmmmm…. Hhhhmmmm…. Hhm." Was the man's only response as Cardin stood up and dusted off his night shirt.

Sending an angry glare to the second spirit Cardin said through gritted teeth, "And just who the hell do you think you are sleeping in my bed?"

The onion shaped helmet atop the man's head shifted to look in Cardin's direction.

"Hmmm…mmm? Oho! Forgive me, I was absorbed in thought." His voice was deep and had a slight accent to it, and was muffled slightly by his helmet. Cardin then asked again, "Who the hell do you think you are?!" This time louder to get it past the onion helm and the no doubt thick skull the man had beneath the helm.

The spirit stood up and Cardin noticed both the small round shield on his left forearm, and the _very_ large greatsword resting gently on the man's shoulder while upholding it with one hand. The shield had a small point sticking out from its center and the greatsword, not only as tall as Cardin himself if he guessed right, but also had two smaller points sticking out of the blade closer to the hilt.

The spirit coughed into his hand a few times to clear his throat, and then taking in a huge breath before shouting at the top of his lungs.

"I AM THE SECOND SPIRIT SENT TO YOU THIS NIGHT: THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT!" After a moment had passed the spirit added, "AND MY NAME IS SIEGMEYER!" Cardin had to cover his ears as he was positive that the neighbors, along with the entire block, must have heard that mighty bellow.

After he waited a few minutes so that the ringing in his ears would cease Cardin asked, "Why the hell did you need to scream that out?!" The spirit could have easily just have told him his title without blasting out his eardrums.

"Forgive me; I was just making sure that my vocal cords were still in shape for tonight." He apologized, now going back to his original tone of volume that he used earlier.

"Why would it matter if your vocal cords were in shape? Do you plan to start singing?" Cardin asked with distaste as he would most likely cause the spirit harm if he began to sing aloud. That is if he could even touch the onion man.

"Singing? Oh heavens no!" The spirit laughed in a jovial manner before saying, "I was just making sure that they were ready to call my trusty steed!"

"Trusty steed?" Cardin questioned as the spirit began to take in yet another inhale of air. Cardin was ready this time as he plugged his ears up with both his index fingers before the spirit bellowed yet again.

"COME TO ME MY STEED!" Cardin unplugged his ears once the spirit had finished and then asked, "So how long until your horse arrives?"

"You are quite the comedian aren't you?" The spirit joked as he made a quick gesture with his hands and suddenly Cardin became translucent just as the spirit in front of him. Then both began to rise into the air at a fast pace. Cardin braced himself for hitting the ceiling, but no contact was made as he and the second spirit phased right through.

After a few moments both were floating high up in the air and Cardin looked down in fascination. He could see for miles while above the city and even the far off city walls that marked the edge of the kingdom. What made the scene even more amazing were the countless number of lights covering both the ground and buildings.

Ranging from small city markets to homes and hotels, Cardin was speechless as he looked around the entire city.

Another sight caught his attention as a creature only out of fantasy was flying right for them.

It was the size of a house fit for a family of four, while four lizard like legs stuck out from beneath it. Its neck was as long as five men tall and a dragon's head was in the front. Red scales covered its entire body along with two massive wings sticking out from its back and flapping once to keep it airborne.

Feeling a sense of fear at the creature Cardin turned towards the spirit asking, "What the hell is that thing?"

Giving a slight chuckle at the absurd question the second spirit replied.

"Why that would be my trusty steed of course. The mighty helper of Dustmas Present, the one who carries him to his destinations, the one and only," The spirit paused for dramatic effect, "RED ONION!"

Cardin didn't even process the ridiculous choice of a name before finding himself riding on the back of the beast. With the second spirit sitting in front of him.

"Onward Red Onion! Onward to the present!" Siegmeyer shouted as he pointed his greatsword ahead of the beast.

A portal large enough to fit the entire dragon emerged from the space where the spirit directed his greatsword and they flew right into it.

Cardin had shut his eyes once they had entered through the portal, but soon opened them as Red Onion began its decent towards the ground. The spirit grabbed onto the back of Cardin's night shirt before hauling the two off the still flying dragon. Instead of falling, both were simply descending towards a house that Cardin instantly recognized.

It was the house of his nephew Sky.

Once close enough both peered in through a window and looked inside.

Inside were multiple people all dressed up in handsome suits and stunning dresses. Both men and women (both human and Faunus) were dancing with one another whether it be a couple or a single person dancing along to the music being played.

Cardin spotted a small group of people all huddled around the fireplace along with both Sky and his Faunus wife.

"Come. Let us take a closer look." The spirit didn't wait for Cardin to give an answer as he half dragged/floated both of them right through the window and into Sky's house.

Once they had gotten closer Cardin could hear what was being said.

"Oh I know! You're an Ursa." A woman that Cardin didn't recognize shouted out. When Cardin looked to his nephew, Sky was hunched over and growling like some sort of Beowulf.

Standing up from his hunched position Sky shook his head while smiling. "I'm afraid you're wrong Fran. I was acting like a Beowulf."

The woman, Fran, huffed and crossed her arms while whispering a small 'darn.'

"Well as much as I enjoy a game of charades I think that I will take a small break if you all don't mind." Sky excused himself as everyone began to chat amongst one another, all with smiles on their faces that Cardin couldn't help but fell a tiny bit jealous of.

When his nephew turned and walked right through the large spirit next to him, Cardin didn't miss the downcast expression on his face as he headed towards the window.

It seemed that his wife had noticed too, as she excused herself and walked through Cardin this time, unaware of the spirit before her.

A look of slight disgust crossed his face; and not entirely because of the feeling of being passed through.

Sky's wife was a cat Faunus who had inherited multiple traits from her heritage.

Long, wavy midnight black hair fell down reaching her lower back and atop her head two black cat ears popped up. Her eyes were the color of amber and they were slightly tilted upwards at the ends to add to her catlike appearance.

She wore an elegant midnight dress that seemed just a little too fancy for the party while a little black bow was wrapped around the side of her neck.

She had reached her husband and the two began to talk. The spirit nudged Cardin in the back with the tip of his sword and nodded in the couple's direction. Taking a small sigh Cardin floated over towards his nephew and his wife.

"What has you so down Sky?" She had asked as Cardin was now floating only a few feet away from the two and eavesdropping.

"Oh my dear, I am simply just wishing how my uncle would have joined us on this night of celebration." Sky said while looking up at the falling snow.

Immediately his wife's face turned from one of concern to another of irritation. But Cardin knew that it wasn't directed at Sky.

"That racist, heartless, no good uncle of yours? Honestly Sky, the only thing that your uncle would bring to this party is racism and bitterness. I still find it hard to believe that the two of you are related." Blake shook her head at the thought of having that racist join in on the festivities, and was even more shocked that Sky had invited him.

"Don't say such things Blake." Sky said with a gentle but stern tone. "My uncle doesn't have that many years left in his life and I don't wish for him to spend them alone and bitter. If only he would just open up a little to me then I'm sure that I could not only thaw his frozen heart, but perhaps even get him to accept Faunus as well."

Blake gently cupped Sky's cheek and looked into his eyes before saying softly, "Dear, I know it's Dustmas but I don't think that there will be any miracles happening tonight."

It was a hard pill to swallow for him and Blake knew it, but she just wanted Sky to enjoy his life and stop trying to help the hopeless case that was his uncle.

"I… understand Blake. I just feel so much sadness for how isolated he has made himself. I just wish that I could have helped him more." Sky said with slumped shoulders, but he soon perked up when Blake placed both arms around him and gave him a hug.

"You tried your best dear; maybe next year." Blake whispered, but in her mind she knew that it would never happen. Sky perked up a little as he nodded his agreement before saying, "I suppose your right. Let's get back to our guests then."

Linking arms together, the couple walked right through Cardin as he floated there speechless. When he finally turned around to regard his nephew he saw him with a new smile on his face and enjoying himself with both his wife and friends.

He felt it soon after.

A small pit beginning to form where his heart was and a heavy weight settling itself there. It felt like it would weigh him down to the point that he would phase right through the floor and eventually into the ground.

"I-I…" He couldn't even find his tongue as he was at a loss for words. He felt a clap on his right shoulder before turning around to see the spirit standing beside him. "Was th-that all true spirit?" Was all he managed to get out.

The onion shaped helmet shook its head in the negative before saying, "I'm afraid that I'm not the one to answer that. Think on it later for we have one more stop before I must leave for the night."

Apparently Red Onion could phase through walls as well as it phased through the wall of Sky's house, and where it normally would have broken everything and everyone within, it merely went through them. Soon after they were atop Red Onion yet again and the spirit opened yet another portal with his greatsword.

In not even a minute they were at their next destination: a small shack that looked like it has survived every kind of force that nature could throw at it, but badly beaten and barely standing it appeared.

Lights were on within the house and soon both Cardin and the spirit descended down to find a small window to look through.

Within lay another surprise to Cardin.

It was the house of his clerk Arc. Within the Arc family home a feast was being held. Well, a feast would be complimenting it as it could barely pass as a decent dinner.

Only one loaf of bread and one-fourth a stick of butter lay on a plate. A small bowl of gravy and an even smaller bowl of honey lay on the table. But perhaps the most depressing food that Cardin saw set onto the table was the smallest turkey bird that he had ever seen.

It looked like that it could fit into the palm of his hand if he were to wager. The Arc family was currently eating their small 'feast' as all four of them sat around the cramp looking table.

His clerk, Jaune Arc, was sitting across from his wife. A pretty young girl with black hair with a few red locks that could be seen. Between the two must have been their children.

A young blonde girl just like her father and the looks of her mother. Right next to the young girl was an even younger boy who had the same colored hair as his mother, but Cardin couldn't see most of his face as it was covered up by a red and black scarf.

"Why are we here spirit?" Cardin asked out of curiosity as well as slight fear as that same weight in his heart grew heavier when he looked at the boy for a reason he couldn't tell.

"He is why we are here."

Cardin looked back at his clerk before facing the spirit again and saying, "Arc? I already gave him the day-"

"No." The spirit said cutting Cardin off. "The boy is the reason for this visit."

When he looked again through the window Cardin saw that the boy had gotten up from his seat and went to give both his parents a hug. However he needed the aid of two small crutches to get around.

' _He's ill.'_ Cardin rationalized in his head as Arc propped his son up onto his lap. The boy pulled down his scarf and Cardin could see the smile that shone brightly on the boy's face. This caused Arc to smile as well and the two laughed despite having such a small dinner and living in such terrible conditions.

The boy looked towards the window, as if sensing that he and his family were being watched, and smiled even brighter.

Cardin knew better than to smile back, but he did it anyway. Despite it being awkward and feeling uncomfortable as the weight grew heavier.

' _Are these the chains forming? Oh gods please no!'_ Cardin began to think with panic and was about to voice his concerns when the spirit, still keeping eyes on the ill boy, spoke.

"The boy will die soon."

"What?" Cardin asked as the weight began to weigh him down further and further.

"He will die soon if the course of events does not change." The spirit's tone sounded slightly strained and upset, but Cardin couldn't tell properly with how muffled he sounded.

The weights were beginning to become unbearable as Cardin actually fell to his knees.

"Before I depart, there is one last thing." The spirit's tone grew darker as he said this, and to Cardin's horror the inky darkness returned and swallowed up everything.

Jaune Arc. His wife and daughter.

And his smiling son.

Two cages appeared besides the spirit. What was in each cage horrified Cardin even further.

For in each cage lay two emaciated children or at least what he thought to be children due to their size and human shape.

Each was as thin as sticks, enough so that he could see the bones of each child. Their skin was the color of both blood and brown and the only clothing they wore were thin rags that kept them barely decent. The most terrifying characteristic of the two children were the hollowed out eye sockets that seemed to be starring right through the man before them.

"These two names are Ignorance and Want. You must be very careful of the former above all, for he will be the end of you Mr. Winchester."

Cardin was backing away from the two cages as he continued to star in horror at the two creatures that starred back.

"Change your ways Winchester, or you will suffer dearly for it." And with that the spirit heaved his massive greatsword up and cleaved off the front half of the cage to his left, and then the same to the right.

Both creatures began to slowly crawl their way out of the cages in slow, twitching, motions and once they were freed, they sprinted towards him.

Both Ignorance and Want came barreling towards the terrified man as all he could do was watch as death approached him at full sprint. Screaming out loud and closing his eyes in fear, Cardin awaited for the blow which would take him to his fate.

After a few moments had passed he slowly opened his eyes to find himself back within his dark bedroom. Feeling the back of his neck Cardin felt cold sweat running down both his neck and back as he sat up.

Clutching his heart Cardin said, "That weight, that poor boy, and those two _nightmares_." He spat the last word out like it was some rotting food that was unfit for eating.

' _There is still yet another spirit, and if I am to go off of the first two, then this last one must be-'_ He didn't want to finish the thought in his head as he slowed his breathing down which helped to calm his nerves; even if it was only a tad bit.

The moonlight from the room suddenly vanished, flushing the room into dark. It then had grown cold within his bedroom; cold enough where he could see his own breath coming out in short, panicked breaths as he waited for…

"The spirit of Dustmas yet to come." Cardin all but whispered as the spirit no, _demon_ , stood before him.

It had the body of a man and stood almost two times his height. Both arms and legs were made up of strongly build muscle if how the demon's ragged, torn, and dirty brown cloak clung to it.

Two 'C' shaped objects produced from its back to make an almost complete circle. Along with those, a pair of elongated horns was attached to the sides of its head.

The hood of the demon's cloak was pulled over its head (with the horns poking through) to prevent Cardin from seeing its face. And he felt thankful for that small blessing for all he could see of its actual face were two sets of glowing red eyes starring right at him.

Its star was so powerful that he covered his chest as he felt as if it were looking directly into his soul.

Cardin also eyed the strange staff the creature held in its right hand. It was basically the same as any other staff, but the differences were how it stood even _above_ the demon's head and had the same 'C' objects at the tip.

' _Is that made of stone?'_ Cardin wondered as he inspected the staff a little more, however, he was startled when the demon simply turned around without saying a word to him.

"What, no introduction?" He asked. The demon just ignored him as it lifted the staff up off the ground and quickly slammed it back down. At first nothing happened, but soon after a blue glowing crack appeared from where the demon had struck its staff.

Soon the crack spider webbed on its own and in a matter of moments the entire floor had been covered in blue, glowing cracks.

He tried to back away from them, but he accidentally stepped on one and his foot fell through. Letting out an alarmed gasp, Cardin grabbed onto his ankle and tried to free his imprisoned foot. However shifting his weight over to his still free foot caused the floor to break under the weight as well.

Now both his feet were trapped.

*SNAP*

A loud snapping noise was heard which had Cardin looking around in panic for the source of the noise. Finding only his bed and the demon standing before him, Cardin resumed to trying to free himself from the floor.

"C'mon goddamnit!" He grunted as he pulled hard on his left leg and to his surprise it came loose of the floorboards. "Ha ha!"

Then, the entire floor collapsed underneath both him and the demon and they both fell into the glowing blue abyss that waited below.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh!" He screamed all the way down as he passed by what could only be described as glowing blue blurs. The demon was falling in front of him.

Well, falling wasn't the right term as it stood perfectly still with its arms crossed and its staff on its back. The only way Cardin could tell that it was falling was that its worn old cloak was flapping in the wind that rushed passed his ears.

It seemed to be… laughing? Its shoulders were rising up and down and Cardin could barely make out the growling sound that also sounded like wheezing at the same time coming from it.

Cardin would normally send a glare at anyone who laughed at him, but he was too preoccupied at the moment from the incoming black hole that waited past the blue.

Shutting his eyes, too afraid to face the oncoming black maw, both Cardin and the demon were swallowed by the abyss.

…

He slowly opened his eyes to a bright white light. Shielding his eyes for a moment and after they adjusted, he found that it wasn't a bright light, but pure white snow.

Lying face down on the snow covered ground; Cardin pushed himself up and observed his new surroundings. Tombstones surrounded him in all directions with the names of the deceased and the dates from when they were born to when they died were engraved on each.

It might have been snowing heavily, but Cardin soon found the third spirit waiting for him by a certain grave.

Cardin forced himself to walk closer towards the rather small tombstone. It was covered in snow so he couldn't read who had died, and how unkempt the tombstone was did not help either.

Chips and cracks could be made out and when Cardin reached the snow covered grave, he looked up at the demon and asked, "Whose grave is it?"

He already had a feeling _who_ it belonged to, but he didn't want to accept that possibility just yet.

"Please tell me spirit. Who is buried here?" He didn't want to look as the spirit pointed its staff at the grave behind him. Cardin shook his head and shouted, "No! I will not look! Tell me who is underneath this tombstone now!"

His demands were hollow and he wasn't even convinced himself as the spirit continued to point its staff at the tombstone. Cardin shook his head again to deny the spirit, but he soon regretted it as it shoved the staff towards him.

The two 'C' shapes clamped around his neck tight enough to guarantee that he couldn't break free. They felt colder than even that of the coldest winter nights as he felt his neck begin to go numb as the clamp began to tighten.

Afraid that he was going to die to this demonic creature he managed to choke out, "I… sha- *hack*- look demon…" He hadn't meant to let the last word slip out but it was too late as it forcibly shoved him against the front of the tombstone before removing the clamp.

Its red eyes flared and Cardin saw steam escape from beneath those same eyes. Terrified of the thing in front of him, Cardin forced himself to turn around and wipe away the snow covering the owner's name.

He couldn't even muster a simple scream as all blood left his face.

'HERE LIES CARDIN S. WINCHESTER' it read and Cardin backed away from the grave as fast as he could. Bumping into the demon's legs Cardin quickly looked up to see four burning red coals looking right back.

He could feel its wicked smile underneath that hood as it grabbed the back of his neck and began dragging him back to… his grave.

He looked on in horror as a gaping black maw appeared above the snow and waited to be fed. "No spirit please! I promise to change my ways and how I act towards others! Please, I promise! **Please!** " He was becoming hysterical as the demon now lifted him up and right over the awaiting black maw.

Cardin tried to grab onto anything to keep him away from the dark, but he only touched air and falling snow as his limbs flailed wildly.

The demon dropped him into the maw. Turning himself in the air, Cardin caught the last bit of light close up as the maw closed itself. Those four burning red eyes looking at him fall all the way down into the dark belly of the beast.

…

"No!" Cardin screamed as he quickly sat up in his bed. He was covered in sweat and felt cold all over, like death had touched his very soul.

"Wh-what was all-" He didn't finish as a bell in the distance rang out. "Th-there's still time… There's still time!"

Jumping out of bed and rushing towards the window, Cardin shouted to the very heavens above, "MERRY DUSTMAS EVERYONE!"

Quickly spotting the newspaper boy down below Cardin called out to him, "Boy!" The young lad looked around before noticing Cardin in the two story window above. "Yes you! I need you to go to the market and buy the biggest turkey that they have. Here take this."

Rushing back into his bedroom and pulling out a large amount of lien Cardin ran back to the window and threw it down at the boy. Catching it the boy asked, "Do you want me to bring it back here mister?"

"No nonononono my boy. Wait there." Cardin quickly got dressed like there would be a Grimmpocalypse the next day and ran all the way down and out into the street.

"I need you to take it to this address…"

…

Jaune Arc was enjoying his Dustmas holiday with his family when there was frantic knocking coming from the front door.

"Who could that be on this day?" He muttered to himself as he excused himself from the festivities with his family.

The knocking became even more frantic and Jaune said, "Coming I'm coming."

Opening the door Jaune asked, "Who is-" But he didn't finish that question as the biggest surprise in his life came at him like twelve angry Ursa.

Cardin stood there with a bountiful amount of gifts in his arms and shouted, "Merry Dustmas Arc!" Allowing himself in Cardin began to set the presents down onto the table that they used for their Dustmas 'feast' the previous night.

"What is the meaning of this sir?" Jaune asked in complete astonishment as he didn't know what to make of the person before him.

"Don't call me sir again Arc or you're fired. Call me Cardin from now on." Cardin ordered and Jaune quickly nodded his head as a small smile began to form on his lips.

"What's going on in here?" His wife, Ruby, asked as she and their two children came in from the bedroom.

"Ah Mrs. Arc! So good to see you. And these must be your children." Cardin greeted by giving Ruby a quick hug to caused her to "Eep" in surprise and Cardin quickly scooped up his young son, Tiny Ash.

Jaune was about to ask why he was here when another knock came at the door. Putting Ash down gently Cardin said, "I'll get it. Oh you're going to love this Arc!"

What Cardin held in his arms when he turned around was the biggest turkey bird that Jaune had ever seen. "Why though Mr. Winche- uh… Cardin?"

"Why not my boy? Its Dustmas and joy and cheer should be spread out to everyone should it not?"

"Well yes but-" Jaune stopped himself as he saw how happy his family was when they saw the turkey and the kids were getting excited to open up the presents that Cardin had bought for them. That smile grew larger as he saw Cardin prop Ash up onto his knee.

"Oum bless us, everyone!" Ash shouted as everyone cheered and their official Dustmas feast began.

* * *

 **God… every time I read that line from this special I cringe a little.**

 **Well that one is finally done. I have to admit that this one I got tired of writing halfway through and considered stopping and begin on the next chapter of FDTA instead. I mean I'm just adding to the multiple versions of this Christmas story just with different characters to fill the roles.**

 **I'm a little mad that I couldn't finish this before the New Year hit, but like I said I lost interest in it halfway through. Plus SW Battlefront and Fallout 4 didn't help out either lol.**

 **If some of you didn't know, the Spirit of Dustmas Future was a mix between the Capra Demon and the Titanite Demon.**

 **Also, sorry if the ending seemed rushed, but I really wanted to finish this special to begin work on the next chapter of the main fic. So again, sorry if this wasn't the best.**

 **Anyways, hoped everyone had a great holiday and got to enjoy it with friends and/or family, and a happy new year to everyone and to all a good night.**


	2. Halloween Special (2015)

**Happy Holloween everyone! Yes that was a pun, and I feel no shame for saying it :) I wanted to thank you all for sticking with me for these last few months, and I decided that it was time for a break from the main story plot.**

 **I thought that the last chapter was a good place to pause so I could write you all this Halloween special. I don't know if you would call this an Omake or not, but I'll let you all decide that. This special has NOTHING to do with the main story, and is purely for my own personal amusement. Plus, it's Halloween and this story is half Dark Souls so why wouldn't I write it?**

 **Okay well it's time for the Halloween special. Enjoy everyone!**

* * *

 _ **Mirror, Mirror**_

It was the annual Beacon dance. Where students and teachers were allowed a chance to unwind and get away from their daily lives of school and fighting the creatures of Grimm.

Most of the students had found dates to bring and were currently dancing and having the time of their lives on the dance floor. Sadly, not all of the students had secured themselves a date to bring to the dance.

Jaune Arc was one of those students.

His original plan to ask Weiss out had all but been cancelled when the esteemed heiress decided to ask Neptune instead. Jaune was heartbroken and didn't even know why he was here.

Standing alone at the punch bowl while holding a cup of punch and less actual dancing was a good way to describe it.

Jaune sighed to himself as he looked around the entire gym at all the happy faces and laughter. Despite not really enjoying the dance (at all), Jaune would admit that both Yang and Weiss did a fantastic job setting up the whole thing. The decorations were all well placed, the food looked both fancy and appetizing, and to top it all off the girls managed to combine both classical and rock music to keep the dance interesting.

As the blonde knight continued to observe the gym, he spotted his friend and fellow team leader Ruby. His jaw dropped when he saw that she actually had a date with her.

Not saying that she was ugly, infact she was really cute if Jaune was being honest, but the fact that Ruby was just really shy when it came to stuff like boys as far as he knew.

When Jaune looked at her date, his jaw fell even further as he saw that her date was none other than their new professor and friend Tyrell. He had a stunning dark grey suit on with a clean white undershirt along with a neatly fashioned black tie. He wore matching dark grey pants and brown shoes.

As Jaune continued to look at both his friends enjoying each other's company, he didn't notice the second figure walk up to him.

The figure tapped Jaune on his shoulder which seemingly brought him back out of his thoughts.

"Y-yes?" Jaune asked a little startled at how he hadn't notice the figure until now. The figure was male and wore almost the same exact attire as his friend/teacher, but instead of dark grey, the figure's tux was light grey, a black undershirt with a white tie along with light grey pants and black shoes instead. What caused Jaune to give the man a strange look was the fact that he wore what looked like a medieval knight's helmet on his head with the visor closed.

"Hey buddy, you look a little down over here by yourself. You seem to need a little happiness for tonight." The stranger said with a crisp Mexican accent.

Jaune was confused, and weirded out as well, and replied, "Umm no thanks. I'm perfectly happy with just standing here… by myself." Jaune finished in self pity, but the stranger didn't leave as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder like they were friends.

"Come on amigo! Why stand here and sulk all night, when you could be having the time of your life." The stranger said as he somehow took a drink of his punch without spilling it all over his tux. Jaune raised a brow as he was now starting to feel uncomfortable around this man.

"Again, no thanks. If you don't mind I think that I'll just walk over… there." Jaune said with no actual destination in mind. He just wanted to get away from this guy.

After maneuvering his way through the crowd of smiling faces, Jaune found himself seated in a lone stool in the corner right next to a nice potted plant. Once he was comfortable Jaune let his mind wonder a bit.

He didn't get far however, as the stranger literally popped up from _inside_ the potted plant. "Amigo, please allow me to help you enjoy yourself this night. I knew how it felt to be alone, but after meeting _him_ I never felt alone again and enjoyed my life."

Jaune wasn't sure what was stranger, the man who was acting like they were friends since they were children, or the fact that the same man popped out of the potted plant like he was the plant himself!

Also, why did his voice sound somewhat familiar?

Taking a sigh, one of annoyance, Jaune said, "Look, I appreciate… whatever it is that you're offering, but I'm really not in the mood for games tonight. Now please leave me alone." With that Jaune stood up from the stool and walked away from the potted man.

After making his way through the crowd again, Jaune found himself at a set of stairs that lead up to one of Beacon's many balconies. Deciding that he needed some fresh air, Jaune walked up the stairs.

…

When he reached the balcony, Jaune was thankful that it was empty. Walking over to the railed ledge, Jaune looked over Beacon's large campus. The lights that filled the larger towers and small street lamps lit up at night made Jaune feel like he was living in a fairy tale of sorts.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A voice said to Jaune's right.

The blonde boy nearly had a heart attack at how this man seemingly appeared out of nowhere. His visor was pointed to Jaune as the blonde sent a glare at the man.

' _How does he manage to sneak up on me without me noticing and, more importantly, how does this guy keep finding me?!'_ Jaune thought furiously as he grabbed his still fast beating heart.

"What do you want with me?!" Jaune shouted as he was tired of this man and his strange behavior. The man with the knight's helmet turned his head so that he was looking out over Beacon's campus just as Jaune had been just a moment ago.

After a few moments had passed, the man turned his visor back towards Jaune and said, "To make a friend happy."

"But I don't even know you!" Jaune shouted, but it was lower in volume compared to the previous one. The stranger shook his head as if disappointed before looking back at Jaune.

"We may not know each other by time, but we do through soul Jaune." The stranger said his name which caused Jaune to grow a little scarred of the situation as the stranger somehow acquired his name.

"First off, how do you know my name? And second, what does that even mean?" Jaune asked in a calmer voice than he had a few minutes ago.

"Neither matter as I have come tonight to relieve you of your sadness and loneliness Jaune Arc." The stranger said in a dramatic tone as he pointed his right index finger at Jaune as if accusing him of a crime.

"If I let you help me, will you go away?" Jaune asked, now tired of this strange man and night. He now just wanted to go back to his team's dorm room and go to bed.

"Of course my amigo!" The stranger said cheerily as he produced a cup of punch from his back pocket. Then, the stranger extended his hand containing the punch, and said, "Drink this punch, and all of your troubles will disappear."

Jaune took the cup of punch from the man and eyed it suspiciously, and not entirely trusting it. _'It could be a trap of sorts, or just punch.'_ Jaune thought as he continued to inspect the seemingly harmless liquid.

As if reading his thoughts the stranger said, "Do not worry, my friend, this drink is no ploy to drug you or anything else you might think of. It is simply the ticket to a night of fun and excitement. This I assure you." The stranger finished as he placed a gentle hand on Jaune's shoulder as the boy continued to inspect the cup.

' _Trap or no trap, this has been the most exciting thing all night so far. Besides, I'm tired of this man's persistence and ninja abilities.'_ Jaune thought as he finished the cup of punch in one go.

Nothing.

Nothing occurred as Jaune looked at both the man in front of him and the now empty cup that he held in his hand. "Well, that was a little disappointing." Jaune said as he now just looked at the man with a blank stare.

The man said nothing, but Jaune had the feeling that he was smiling underneath that helmet of his.

"Before I go, what was your name?" Jaune asked as he tried to take a step away from the balcony, but found that he couldn't move his feet.

"That is not important now, my friend, just let the punch do its work." The stranger said in what sounded like a far away voice that Jaune had trouble hearing. His vision began to sway from side to side. Soon left became right, and up was down.

Jaune tried to focus on the stranger, but was having trouble when there were four of them swaying around. "Wh-what was i-in that pun-ch?" Jaune asked lazily as he too sounded far away and darkness began to enclose itself around his vision.

"Just a little something to help you… get the night going." The stranger said. Mexican accent gone and replaced with a much deeper, demonic like voice.

Jaune fell to his knees, but was gripping the railing of the balcony for support. He swung his head to look up at the stranger, but that was a feat on its own as his head felt incredibly heavy at the moment.

His cloths seemed to have changed, but Jaune couldn't describe them as he was almost unconscious. The same knight's helmet stayed atop the stranger's head with no visible changes, but if there were they were impossible for Jaune to see as his vision grew darker.

Grabbing onto the man's leg Jaune asked once more, "What's your name?" This time the stranger kneeled in closer to Jaune, who still held onto one leg. So close that their heads touched. The cold metal of the helmet gave Jaune a small chill down his spine.

Since Jaune couldn't see his face due to the helmet, it was hard to tell if the man was saying anything at all, but if he had Jaune didn't hear it as he drifted off into darkness.

…

The blond knight awoke to find himself safely in his own bed inside his team's dorm room.

"Who are you?!" Jaune screamed and bolted right up in bed as he remembered meeting the mysterious stranger that offered him a drink. He got no response however as there was no one currently inside the room save for himself.

"Guys?" Jaune called out to see if any of his teammates were just in the bathroom, or changing inside the walk-in closet. Still no response. This began to worry the young leader as he removed the covers off his form and got out of bed.

He was surprised to see that he was in his regular combat gear instead of his tux that he had been wearing at the dance. "Huh, that's strange. I could have sworn that I was wearing the tux Ren loaned to me when I met that guy at the dance."

Suddenly remembering the dance, Jaune exclaimed, "The dance! What time is it? What day is it?" The blonde knight quickly made his way over to the only window that the dorm room provided and removed the blinds that were drawn. "Huh?" Was all Jaune said as he looked out to a clear and beautiful night sky over Remnant.

' _I guess that explains that someone must have found me after I lost consciousness and brought me back to my room, but that still leaves two more questions. How did I end up in my combat gear, and who brought me here?'_ Jaune continued his thoughts over what might have happened after the mysterious figure gave him that cup of punch.

After a few minutes had passed and not coming any closer as to what happened, Jaune decided to make his way out of his team's room and find someone to answer his questions.

After locking the door, Jaune went over to team RWBY's dorm room to see if anyone was home, and possibly shed some light on his current situation. Jaune knocked on the door a few times and waited.

No response.

He then tried again, this time a little louder, but was still met with the same result. "Girls? Hello? Ruby, Yang, Blake, Weiss. Anyone home?" After waiting in silence for a few more minutes, Jaune eventually gave up and decided to walk down the hallway.

Along the way he tried other team's rooms, but each and every one of them resulted in no response. Jaune was beginning to feel a little nervous at the lack of responses. _'Surely the dance should have ended by now. Right?'_ Jaune thought to when he looked out the window earlier, he couldn't see the moon and thought that it would be dawn within a few more hours.

He even checked the time on his Scroll and confirmed that it was almost two hours past midnight. When he saw the time displayed on his Scroll Jaune's nervousness began to turn itself into full on worry.

' _Its past midnight?! Where is everyone?! Surely they would have ended the dance at eleven o'clock at the latest.'_ Jaune thought frantically as his walk soon turned into a small run as he ran through more and more hallways to find any signs of Human (or Faunus) life.

"Hello?! Is anyone there?" Jaune half-shouted as he continued his search through Beacon for his own team, team RWBY, or anyone for that matter. What felt like hours of searching turned out to only add up to fifteen minutes as he had almost explored all of Beacon.

The only places that he has yet to check was the Headmaster's office, the teacher's lounge, and… the gym where the dance had been held. Jaune face palmed at his own stupidity for not only avoiding the probably one and only place where everyone was sure to be located, but for also wasting all this time in a wild goose chase.

After taking a long sigh Jaune dragged his feet towards the gym, which was located on the opposite side of campus from where he was now.

When Jaune eventually arrived at the same hallway that lead to the gym's entrance (with sill no one in sight, believe him, he checked), the one he walked down before he met the stranger, Jaune was both excited and a little worried to still be hearing music coming from behind the closed doors.

It was a relatively short hallway and soon Jaune could see what appeared to be rave lights flashing from in-between the cracks that the doors couldn't cover. As he drew closer to the doors, Jaune could hear what sounded like singing coming from inside the room.

Since it was coming through closed doors, the voice was muffled and he couldn't make out the words very well. All he could hear were the words "Spooky," "Scary," and "-tons." The young leader only caught half of the last word, but he didn't care really as he was now determined to finally see if life lay behind those doors.

When Jaune arrived at the doors, he was happy to hear the sounds of cheering, dancing, and clinking? Taking a deep breath to prepare himself for some unknown reason, Jaune gripped both handles and pushed both doors open.

Jaune Arc was feeling multiple emotions at the sight that layed before his eyes. He felt confusion, surprised, sick, fear (and a lot of it), and the smallest sprinkle of happiness. He felt confused at the sight that was before him as well. He felt surprised at what the sight had to offer. He felt sick due to what the sight was doing to his stomach. He felt fear as every head in the room that was not his own turned towards his direction; even the music had stopped playing. Finally, he felt the tiniest bit of happiness, because he accomplished his goal of finding life behind the gym doors.

Sadly, the lives that were before him were also dead at the same time.

When Jaune had opened the door, he expected to find his friends, peers, and teachers all dancing at two in the morning for who knows what reason. What he didn't expect, was a room full of alive (reanimated?) skeletons. Alive skeletons that had all been dancing before they all looked at him as if he were a two-headed Grimm.

After having a nice starring contest with an entire room full of living bones, Jaune Arc did what could be called the craziest thing to do for one in his position. He talked to the room full of undead skeletons.

"Uhhh… hi?" Was all Jaune said to the now uncomfortably quite room. He wasn't sure whether to feel relief of more fear as one of them responded.

"Sup bro! Come on in and PAAARRRRTAAAYYY!" One random skeleton screamed as the music began to play again and the skeletons just went back to dancing as if a living teenager hadn't just come through the gym doors.

Jaune still felt scarred out of his mind, but still he felt the tiniest bit better that the skeletons didn't react in a negative way. Jaune looked around the gym and was surprised that the room remained practically the same when he saw it when there were humans and Faunus occupying the space.

The only differences were the people had been replaced by walking, talking skeletons, and a new DJ now controlled the music in the back of the room.

Jaune grew pale when he saw the hulking mass of bones that was currently operating the DJ system. It stood up higher than an Ursa on its hind legs and wore a long black coat that covered its entire hunched back, but showed the blonde knight its exposed front. Jaune had to squint his eyes a little to see that the new DJ's torso was made out of entire human skeletons.

Another terrifying feature that caused Jaune to pale further was the large curved blade that seemed to be acting as the DJ's right arm.

Jaune couldn't move from his spot as he was too stunned, and terrified, to move a single inch. "What was in that punch?" Jaune asked himself as he continued to overlook the scene that was displayed before him.

Skeletons covered the entire dance floor with all of them dancing like there was no tomorrow, a terrifying new DJ that looked like he could cut Jaune in two with his sword, and a song that was starting to become _very_ annoying to the blonde knight as it not only did the lyrics describe what he was feeling, but he felt that the song kept on repeating itself.

" _Spooky, scary skeletons_ _send shivers down your spine_ _Shrieking skulls will shock your soul_ _Seal your doom tonight"_

"This has to be a dream. This has to be a dream. _Please_ let this be a dream." Jaune repeated multiple times as he thought that he was about to have a mental breakdown. That was until a cold liquid was splashed into his face. "Hey!" Jaune said as he looked to the one who splashed the water in his face.

Jaune immediately regretted it as he soon saw that it was one of the skeletons from the party, but this one seemed different. It wore a pink tropical t-shirt that just barely came below its loin area (but thankfully covering it) and wore what looked like a sombrero and a straw had made a love child. It also wore yellow sunglasses that covered its eyes. "You looked like you were about to have a breakdown there pal, so I decided to cool you off."

The voice sounded like it belonged to a male, and its voice sounded surprisingly human to Jaune, but he ignored that as he said, "Thanks I guess?" Jaune had to hide his cringe as the skeleton actually _smiled_. The molars of its jaw moved upwards and formed an actual smile, one that Jaune was having trouble looking at.

"No problem… what's your name?" The skeleton asked as he took a sip from the cup he was holding. Jaune's left eye twitched as he saw that some of the liquid stained the shirt, but from the inside of the skeleton.

"J-Jaune Arc." Jaune sputtered out as he looked at the floor before asking, "A-and y-yours?" _'Why am I so nervous? Oh yeah, there's a room full of the living dead and your talking to one right now you idiot.'_ Jaune thought to himself as the skeleton put a boney hand on Jaune's right shoulder. It chilled him to the bone.

"First off, you need to take a few deep breaths and calm down a little Jaune. Can you do that for me?" The still unnamed skeleton asked, and Jaune nodded as he did just that. It barely made him feel any better, but it seemed to be enough for the skeleton to give him his name. "The name's Frank. Nice to meet you Jaune Arc." Frank removed his hand from Jaune's shoulder and now extended it for Jaune to shake.

The young Arc hesitated at first but, reluctantly, took hold of Frank's boney hand and shook. Jaune almost couldn't contain his yelp as Frank's fingers closed around his hand like a death trap.

"So what brings you to the party Jaune?" Frank asked as he let go of the young boy's hand, much to Jaune's relief.

After taking another deep breath to control his nervousness a little more, Jaune replied, "I actually don't know why I'm here to be honest. I was in Beacon's gym during the dance when a stranger dressed in a suit and tie, and also wore a knight's helmet, walked up to me to offer a cup of punch. After pestering me for so long about it, I caved in and took a drink. Next thing I'm waking up and finding myself in an empty Beacon. After looking around and finding no one, I eventually came here and saw a room full of skeletons." Jaune wished that he hadn't used the word 'skeletons' so casually as Frank lowered his glasses to reveal his hollowed eye sockets as he looked at Jaune.

Jaune could actually _feel_ Frank's 'eyes' piercing through him as if he actually had them in his head.

"Well… I can't really answer as to why you are here Jaune, but maybe the Ravelord can answer your questions." Frank said as he pushed his glasses back up and covered his 'eyes' once again.

"The… Ravelord?" Jaune said with uncertainty as he gave Frank a confused look. Frank nodded his head in confirmation as he informed Jaune of who the Ravelord is.

"You see the big ol pile of bones operating the DJ system? That's Ravelord Nito; he's the one that makes sure that the party never ends." Frank pointed to the large pile of skeletons that Jaune had seen earlier. He audibly gulped when he again saw the large sword arm on the Ravelord.

"Make sure the party never ends?" Jaune repeated what Frank said as he gave the tropical skeleton an odd look.

"Yup. You see Jaune, as long as Nito keeps on playing that song on the DJ system, the night never ends. So the party never stops!" Frank said the last part with another smile as he then poured the rest of his drink down into his awaiting mouth. This time Jaune did cringe when more splatters stained the inside of the shirt.

"Y-you think that he'll be able to answer my questions Frank?" Jaune asked with uncertainty as to what the Ravelord might know of his predicament.

"I can't say that he'll be able to answer all of your questions. Like how you're so terrible with woman, or how you have low self-esteem, probably not how you-" Frank didn't get to go on as Jaune shouted at the skeletons with a small blush on his face.

"How do you know that?!" Jaune demanded, but Frank's only response was laughter.

"Well now I do! Ohhh the look on your face Jaune. Come on, let's go meet the Ravelord." Frank grabbed onto Jaune's wrist and began to drag him through the dancing crowd of skeletons. Jaune was repeatedly shoved, poked in multiple places by random elbows from the movements of the dancers, and nearly tripped a few times, but both he and Frank made it to the Ravelord.

He was more terrifying up close. Now that Jaune was (unfortunalty) closer to the Ravelord, he could see even more of his horrific features. It looked as if he were made up of dozens of human skeletons, with only a few for show as the rest were hidden behind his black coat. Jaune observed that the coat itself was made out of what looked like Nevermore feathers and some type of black fur.

' _Beowulf maybe?'_ The knight thought to himself as he continued to observe the Ravelord. Jaune noticed that each visible skull that made up the towering terror had glowing red eyes, but one skull stood out from the rest. It sat in the middle of where a head would have been and was at least four times larger than the other skulls. Another feature about said skull was the dark blue flames that glowed brightly inside the sockets.

Those flames seemed to be looking directly at the terrified knight as Frank motioned at the Ravelord. "Hey, Ravelord Nito! I got a human here who has a few questions for ya!"

The blue flames directed their gaze from Jaune for a few seconds as they looked in Frank's direction, but were soon back on the blonde knight as Jaune stiffened a bit. The flames quickly snuffed themselves out and were replaced by the glowing red ones just as the other skulls had. However, those blue flames returned to a skeleton located further down the body as its red eyes disappeared and were soon replaced with blue ones.

The smaller skeleton literally stepped _out_ of the mass of bones and stepped out from underneath the great Ravelord, however, this one wore its own form of clothing just as Frank has.

The skeleton wore a black feathered coat just like the main body, but also held a cane with a grey (you guessed it) skull on the tip. Out of nowhere, the skeleton pulled out a top hat and placed it atop his head as he walked in front of the two.

"Enjoying the party Frank? Have you tried the soul screamers yet? I heard that Jeremy just created a fresh batch." Nito asked as he gestured over to where Jaune assumed a snack bar would be located, but that didn't matter as Jaune cleared his throat and looked over at Frank.

The tropical skeleton gave Jaune a surprised look, which was hard to tell from a skeleton's face, as if he just appeared out of nowhere. "Oh I completely forgot! Ravelord Nito, this is the human that I mentioned just a minute ago. His name is Jaune Arsh." Frank said as he pointed a boney finger at Jaune.

The young man tried to put on as confident a face as he could to try and be kind as he introduced himself to the Ravelord. _'Well dad, you always said that confidence worked on women. Let's see how it can work on the undead.'_ Jaune thought as he extended his right hand and said, "The names Jaune _Arc_ , short, sweet, the ladies love it."

Nito gave Jaune a face that was hard to describe, especially on a face with no skin. It looked like a mixture between interest and something else. "Well it is a pleasure to meet you Jaune Arc. Now what brings a human like you here, to the land of the Dead?"

Jaune had trouble breathing at the name of where he was currently located. _'Is this the afterlife? Oh gods please don't let this be the afterlife! Please!'_ Jaune kept his stupid confident smile as he said, "Ummm… I was actually hoping that _you_ would be able to answer that question for me." Jaune gave a nervous laugh after he finished talking, but it didn't help him in the least as he lowered his hand.

Nito brought up a puzzling finger under his chin as he thought about what might have caused Jaune's predicament. All three waited for what felt like eternity, until Nito snapped his boned fingers together with a look that shouted 'eureka!'

"I got nothing." Nito said bluntly as Jaune's face went from fake confident to real sadness. Anime tears strewn down his face like a waterfall as he fell to his knees and buried his head into his hands.

"I'm sorry?" Nito said as his skeletal face had a look of disgust as Jaune's tears began to pool around the boy and closer to both Frank and Nito. "Frank, why don't you take him back to his room? Once he's calmed down, he can come back to the party and enjoy himself."

The tropical skeleton nodded in agreement as he bent his knees and grabbed Jaune's left shoulder and said, "Come on Jaune, let's get you to bed pal."

Nito began to walk back towards his main body when Jaune murmured something. Curious, Nito turned around to face the once sobbing boy and said, "What did you say Jaune? I couldn't quite hear you."

"-said that's r…" Jaune mumbled as Nito now walked back to stand in front of the human yet again.

"I'm sorry Jaune; could you please repeat that for me?" Nito asked as he leaned in closer to better hear him. Jaune lifted his head a little more and spoke a little louder.

"I said that's real fuc...k…ng…N…" This time Nito caught more of the message, but again asked for the blonde knight to repeat himself one last time. Nito leaned so far close that both human and skeleton were mere inches away.

Jaune was tired of the whole night's events. How he had no date. Healous of his friends and their happiness. And _really_ tired of that song that must have been on its fifth roll since he came into the gym. Jaune looked up with an angry look in his blue eyes as he looked into Nito's burning blue ones.

" **I said that's real fucking NITO!** " Jaune shouted right into the Ravelord's face. He immediately covered his mouth in shock as not only was Nito silent, but Frank along with the rest of the room of skeletons heard him over the music. A few jaws dropped, and in Nito's case, it really did drop.

The pun was so shocking that the mass of skeletons that served as Nito's main body let its sword arm down. Right over the DJ system.

All Jaune remembered next were screams of the damned, the sound of swords being drawn, and burning blue eyes that promised the knight death.

…

It was all a blur to Jaune. The hallways of Beacon Academy looked blended together into a strange color of beige and brown, but that was of no concern to Jaune as he rounded yet another corner that lead to his hallway.

Jaune didn't even know that he could run as far and fast as he had been. As soon as the pun had escaped his lips, the mass of skeletons that was Nito dropped its sword arm right onto the DJ system. Cutting it right in two.

After that Jaune had the sense to immediately start running as he heard, and saw, swords being drawn from most of the party members. He only got out by the skin of his teeth as he had to duck and roll his way to avoid the curved swords swung at his head.

He didn't escape unscaved however, as some of the swords had caught his hoodie that he wore underneath his combat gear. Rips and tares racked across his clothing in various areas and even a few managed to cut him. Thankfully his Aura kicked in and managed to heal those minor wounds.

Jaune popped back into his room where this nightmare began, to grab his weapon Crocea Mors which was lying underneath his bed for no reason.

As he was catching his breath Jaune thought to himself, _'Probably should have brought this along with me in the first place, but who can really blame me? Oh right… no one, because I woke up in the land of the freaking DEAD!'_

Holding his family heirloom in his right hand, and securing the sheath/shield onto his opposite arm, the young Arc set off to… where exactly?

He didn't know where to go to escape this place, and he had already pinched himself (twice) while he was running away from the mob of angry skeleton people to see if this all really was a dream.

Making sure that the door was locked to JNPR's room, Jaune began to pace around the room to try and figure out what his next plan of action would be.

' _Okay, the best way to try and figure out how I got here is to probably retrace my steps right?'_ Jaune thought as he tried to recall everything that had occurred ever since he entered the dance.

' _So I arrived at the dance, nothing there was weird. I was… alone and stayed near the punchbowl,'_ Jaune thought as he recalled himself wallowing in his own self-pity while at the dance. _'I saw Tyrell and Ruby dancing together, and then…'_

A light bulb clicked sparked to life above Jaune's head as he snapped his fingers in an 'eureka' moment. "That mysterious man gave me that special punch that caused me to black out!" Jaune shouted in excitement, but he quickly covered his mouth as he heard what sounded like clanking bones walking down the hallway.

"Did you hear that?" An unnamed skeleton asked.

"No Steve, for the eighth time, I didn't hear any noise. Every other time you think you hear a noise it ends up being either a squeaky floorboard, or an undead rat running around." A second skeleton said in return.

"But Carl I swear that I heard what sounded like a human just now." Steve said as Jaune slowly eased his way into the room's built in closet, praying that the two skeletons wouldn't find him.

"No. My bones ache from following you around when you think that you hear something." Carl said. The two skeletons were right outside JNPR's room as they continued their talk.

"Come on Carl! I know that the human we're looking for is in here! Do you really want to walk away from the possibility that the human is in here, and have to tell the Ravelord that we've failed?" Steve questioned as Jaune silently prayed that Carl wouldn't go along with Steve's idea and they would both leave.

His prayers were only halfway answered.

"You can check out all the suspected noises until the undead sleep for all I care. I'm going to go get a drink." Carl stated as a single pair of skeletal footsteps walked away.

"Okay bye Carl! Now, let's see what behind door number nine." Steve said unaffected as he placed his fingers around the lock. Jaune's heart was pounding as he heard the sound of the door opening and closing.

"I know you're in here human. I can smell ya." Steve whispered to himself, but Jaune heard it anyways for being so close.

' _First off, how?! You have no nose. And second, gross.'_ Jaune thought as the sounds of the skeleton's footsteps moved across the room. Jaune heard him messing around with each of the four beds in his search, but after a few minutes and coming up empty, Steve slammed his fist against the closet door in frustration causing Jaune to jump a little.

"Darn it! Well I guess that nine isn't my lucky number. Oh well, maybe I can catch up to Carl if I hurry." Jaune let out the smallest of breaths as he felt relieved that Steve would be leaving, "But after I check the closet of course." Jaune's heart reached his throat as the knob began to turn and soon the door began to slowly open outwards.

Out of sheer fear and stupidity, Jaune barreled himself out of the closet and into the surprised skeleton. Well, as surprised as you can look when you have no facial features, or face.

Jaune had already drawn Crocea Mors and bashed the skeleton in the head with his retractable sheath. Jaune felt happy, and a little guilty, as a large crack appeared from the point of impact. Steve was knocked out cold as far as he could tell.

Jaune didn't linger on it too long as he knew where the mysterious man was most likely to be. As Jaune walked out into the hallway, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey Steve, I think that I might have a clue where that human-" Carl stopped mid-sentence as both he and Jaune looked at one another. Carl then pointed his finger at Jaune as if accusing him and shouted in a demonic like voice, " **HUUUMMMAAANNN!** "

…

Jaune was currently running away from the horde of skeletons that were giving him pursuit. Jaune only looked back once, but he regretted it as he saw what looked like an entire army was after him.

Thankfully, he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, or hallway for this matter as the elevator that lead to the Headmaster's office had its doors wide open as if it had been waiting for him this whole time, but they soon began to shut.

Jaune sprinted even harder as he noticed that the doors began to close, and the horde of the undead was drawing closer and closer.

' _Faster legs faster!'_ Jaune thought as he pushed himself harder than he ever had before. He had to shift his body to fit into the small gap that was now the only opening into the elevator and his salvation.

Once he was inside, Jaune looked back just in time to see the horde coming at him in full force. One of the skeletons almost made it through, but the doors had shut closed, crushing its skull as if it were made of glass in the process.

Jaune was panting hard as he slowly used the support on the side to pull himself up. He hadn't even hit the button yet, but the elevator began to move up on its own. When it was halfway up to the Headmaster's office, Jaune had a nice view of the land of the Dead.

The sky had changed from a midnight black to what was a mixture between black, orange, and purple as the shattered moon that Jaune was accustomed to seeing hung overhead. The only difference in the moon was the half skull face that had a wicked grin plastered across it as its one glowing red eye seemed to be looking directly at the young Arc.

Jaune gulped as the elevator reached the top of the tower. When the doors opened he was surprised to find that the room was practically the same. The only differences were a few cobwebs strewn about, and the absence of Ms. Goodwitch who usually sat at the desk outside Ozpin's office.

Jaune couldn't help but feel a sense of dread as he stepped off the elevator and made his way over to the two large doors leading to the Headmaster's office. He hadn't noticed it until he was closer to the doors, but two door knockers laid on each door. Both knockers represented some sort of goat demon that Jaune had never seen before.

Not sure if he should just enter or not, Jaune reached out with his hand to grab the ring held underneath the right knocker. However, before he could even grab it, both doors swung slowly open.

Once they had opened enough to allow him in, Jaune slipped through between the doors and entered Ozpin's office. Again, the room was mainly unchanged, save for the now broken gears that layed above the office and the cracked clock face behind the Headmaster's desk.

Shifting his gaze onto said desk, Jaune noticed that the tabletop was cracked in certain areas, and even a few of the cog pieces jutted out of the desk. The Headmaster's chair was replaced by a large black leather business chair, which was currently turned to face away from Jaune.

"So, Mr. Arc, what brings you here to _my_ office?" Asked an all too familiar Mexican accent. The mysterious figure wearing the knight's helmet turned to face Jaune with his arms resting on each armrest. He almost the same as well, the only difference being that both his tux, pants, and tie were black and the undershirt was a maroon color.

"You!" Jaune shouted in both accusation and a little surprise since he wasn't completely sure if he would be right in coming here first.

"Yes, me. Now what brings you here Jaune?" The man asked as Jaune gave him a look that asked 'are you serious?'

"Why am _I_ here? That's what I've been trying to figure out ever since I woke up here!" Then pointing an accusing finger at the man Jaune said, "I know that it was you that put something in that punch. Just tell me. Who are you and why did you do this to me?!"

The man remained silent for a while as Jaune then said in desperation, "Please."

"You really don't know do you?" The man sounded less concerned than what Jaune had hoped he would be.

Jaune then responded by saying, "No I don't. So why can't you just-" The blonde knight was cut off by a large banging sound that erupted from outside the office. It came from the elevator. Immediately the doors leading out of the office closed abruptly and a locking sound could be heard as the doors sealed themselves shut.

"It seems that your new _friends_ have found you amigo." The man said with slight amusement in his voice as Jaune made his way over to him filled with both anger and fear as a banging began to rasp on the doors.

Jaune looked into the thin visor that hid the man's eyes. Panic was starting to settle itself into the pit of his stomach, and he was out of patience. Slamming his hands down onto the desk, Jaune demanded in a slightly panicked voice, "Tell me w-who you are… now."

Jaune wasn't sure why he wanted to know this man's name so badly, but he felt that if he knew then everything would go back to normal.

The man took a long sigh as he slowly stood up from his chair and looked at Jaune. "Since you are clearly too… mediocre to figure it out by now, then I will tell you. Also…" Looking over Jaune's shoulder towards the door, the man noticed the chips of wood breaking apart from it. "It seems that your friends want to come and say hello."

Jaune looked behind to regard the doors and his panic grew as a large piece of the right wooden door flew off from another loud banging. Turning around to regard the man Jaune said, "Thank you."

The man raised both hands and had placed one on either side of the helmet. Slowly, the man took it off and revealed to Jaune who he was.

Jaune was both shocked and horrified.

Standing right in front of him was a young man with slightly long blonde hair, deep ocean blue eyes, and the one thing that Jaune had always strived to attain but could never get. Confidence.

Jaune Arc was looking directly at himself.

Jaune opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out as he just continued to stare at his opposite. "Surprised? I thought that this would come out as the least surprising after the night we had amigo." Jaune two said with a bemused grin on his face.

"W-we?" Jaune the original stammered as his mind was beginning to crack from all the events of the night.

"Allow me to explain." Jaune two then walked around the Headmaster's desk to stand in front of Jaune. "I am you, and you are me, such is that we are the same person. _You_ , however, are the one in control of our body." _'For now…'_ Jaune two thought as he laughed sinisterly on the inside. " _I_ am the incarnate of what you want to be Jaune, and what your father always wanted you to be. A hero."

This got Jaune to momentarily gain some confidence of his own as he sent a sharp glare at his 'twin.' "I am a hero." Jaune said without hesitating.

Jaune two's smile grew a little more as he then replied, "Sneaking your way into the academy is not what a true hero does Jaune." This seemed to cause Jaune to lose his brief confidence as he looked away from Jaune two's eyes and at the ground instead.

Walking up to Jaune, Jaune two placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder and said, "I can help us Jaune. In fact I have been helping us this whole night."

Jaune looked back up and away from the ground as he asked, "How?" Jaune two's smile lessened somewhat to a happy grin as he removed his hand and walked over to the broken clock face, staring out at the creepy moon.

"When you felt so down at the dance, you created me. Well, I was always with you Jaune, but your slow fall back into what might have been a depression caused me to appear physically to you. I figured that if I knocked you out, then I could have you face all your inner demons in combat." Jaune two explained.

A larger bang issued itself from outside the double doors, this time taking off a small chunk of the left door in which both Arcs could see a red eye appear through the small hole.

"We both see how well that went." Jaune said with self-pity as he focused his attention back onto his 'twin'.

"That is the seed of depression taking its place inside your heart Jaune. I can remove it, but only if you allow me to." Jaune two said while making his way back over to the blonde knight. Jaune the original could have sworn he saw his 'twin's' eyes flash red like Yang's did when she was angry. As he strode closer towards him, Jaune blinked and found they were still as blue as his own.

"How do you plan on helping anyway?" Jaune questioned as he crossed his arms while feeling a little suspicious.

His twin answered by holding his hand out to shake hands and said, "I am the incarnation of the confidence you lack Jaune. By accepting me, you will gain the confidence that you have always lacked when facing with your peers, your friends, and your family. All you have to do is just shake my hand, and this nightmare will end, and you will wake up a new man." When Jaune still held a suspicious look his twin added, "I promise."

Jaune didn't get to answer right away as bone arms and swords breached through the doors and were scrambling around like chickens with their heads cut off. Then, a massive curved sword penetrated through the middle of the doors before slamming itself down the line and opening the doors.

Jaune saw dozens of glowing red eyes that appeared in the doorway, but the pair of eyes that scarred him the most were the blazing blue flames that belonged to the Ravelord. It didn't help that anything beyond the doors was pitch black, so the glowing eyes were much clearer to see.

"We do not have much time Jaune! Your demons come for you. Accept me so I can save you!" Jaune two brought the original's attention back to him. His hand still sticking out to shake.

"What will happen to you though?" Jaune asked with both worry, and concern, for his twin seeing that he was trying to help him escape this nightmare.

Jaune two flashed Jaune a confident smile as he said, "Don't worry about me amigo, I'll be just fine. Now let's get you out of here my friend."

Jaune smiled in return as he grasped the awaiting hand firmly and shook it. A white light appeared out of nowhere and blinded the young Arc. Jaune raised his right arm to shield his eyes.

Jaune expected that the light would wake him up, but when it had disappeared, Jaune removed his arm to see that he was still in the nightmare version of the Headmaster's office. Jaune two was still smiling at Jaune as the young Arc asked, "What happened?"

The confident smile that held itself over his twin's face grew into a sinister one as he replied, "You just handed your soul over to me Jaune."

Jaune grew as white as a ghost as he repeated the words his twin had just said. "Handed my s-soul over?" His twin laughed like a madman as he walked past Jaune and towards the awaiting army of skeletons. Jaune thought that they would attack, but they did no such thing as they parted out of the way for his twin.

As they did it, Jaune saw that the elevator had been opened, and was the only light that illuminated the darkness where the undead stood. His twin was already standing in it and as the doors were closing he said one last thing.

Jaune didn't hear it through his ears, but in his head instead. _"Now it is my turn to live in your place. Do not worry; I will make sure that_ we _live a full and wonderful life. Goodbye, Jaune."_

When the doors closed completely, both the room outside and the Headmaster's office grew pitch black. The moon had set and Jaune could see the burning red and blue eyes staring at him through the darkness. Jaune Arc fell to his knees in defeat, and the undead charged.

…

Jaune awoke to find himself in JNPR's dorm room. He was happy to see that he wasn't the only one in it though this time. Pyrrha was currently applying a damp washcloth to his forehead as he noticed that he was underneath his bed sheets.

"You're awake. Thank goodness." Pyrrha allowed herself to smile as all her worries washed away at seeing him awake.

"What happened?" Jaune asked in a weakened voice.

"Neptune found you lying out on the balcony during the dance. Apparently you were knocked out, but after taking you to the infirmary, they said that no drugs or toxins were within your blood that could have caused you to black out. Nora, Ren, and I brought you back here to see if you would wake up." Pyrrha explained.

"How long was I out?" Jaune asked as he sat up slowly, feeling a little dizzy at first, but he shook it off and focused all his attention back to his partner.

"Thankfully only an hour or two, but you still gave us a scare there Jaune. Don't do that again." She gave him a serious face that Jaune quickly nodded to. Her face softened as she smiled again and said, "Well the dance is over and everyone is getting ready for bed. I'm going to do the same. We can talk to the others about this in the morning."

At that Pyrrha began to walk away, but just before she left the room Jaune said, "Thank you for taking care of me Pyrrha. I won't forget this." He shot her a small smile that seemed to make her blush lightly before she said, "Uhhh… goodnight Jaune."

"Goodnight my Spartan." Jaune said coolly which caused her to blush further and slam the door quickly as she left with different emotions running through her.

Jaune stood up and walked over to the window where he could still see the shattered moon. Its pale glow illuminated all of Vale as the blonde knight looked into the window. His eyes flashed red for a brief moment, and after they returned to an ocean blue, Jaune chuckled to himself as he walked away from the window.

The reflection stayed in place however as the real Jaune Arc stood with a blank expression on his face as the undead stood behind him.

* * *

 **Well that one was fun to write. I apologize if Jaune seemed to be a little OOC at points in the story. I decided to wait until it was a little closer to Halloween before I released this chapter, so sorry for the longer delay. God I need to stop apologizing so much, I'm sorry abo- nevermind.**

 **I recently watched the first episode of RWBY Volume three, and I really enjoyed it. I think that Monty's brother did a good job at voicing Ren. What did you guys think of it and what do you want to see from this volume? I personally want to see a little more development with team CRDL as they mainly went scarce after the Forever Fall episodes in Volume one. They only played one part in Volume two for ONE episode for crying out loud! Come on RT, I know that you guys can flesh out your characters better than that. I'm probably only saying this after reading a few CRDL based fics like "Redemption" by RainStorm4, but those characters have more potential for the show and RT isn't using it. (Okay, maybe they will later in the third volume, but until then I'm up to see more of CRDL.) Well this turned into a mini rant. My bad lol.**

 **Next update we will be back to the main story plot for "FDTA." I'll talk to you all again soon!**

 **P.S.- Let me know if you guys would like to see a Christmas special in the future :)**


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